The Palumbo-Donahue School of Business at Duquesne University said 18 entrants have advanced to the semifinal round of the 2023-2024 Duquesne New Venture Challenge.
The annual competition offers cash and service prizes valued at more than $100,000.
DNVC, now in its fifth year, is a three-stage competition that showcases startup ideas from aspiring entrepreneurs. All types of business plans were eligible for entry.
"The DNVC set several records this year, including the largest, most diverse and most impressive set of entries to date,” Dean McFarlin, who is dean of the Palumbo-Donahue School of Business, said in a prepared statement. “We received dozens of entries from students representing five schools at Duquesne as well as additional entries from coast to coast.”
During DNVC’s first stage, entrants submitted written summaries of their ideas with a one-minute elevator pitch video. From there, semifinalists were selected by judges who considered multiple factors.
The semifinalists receive six months of access to business-planning software and must submit an executive summary, short business plan and five-minute video pitch for the second stage. Upon submitting these materials, semifinalist teams each receive $1,000 for participating.
The following, listed alphabetically, were selected as semifinalists:
- AneuRisk – personalized prediction app for patients with arterial aneurysms
- Aquatonomy – autonomous robotic underwater infrastructure inspection
- Crum Creek – self-powered UV-based air-duct purification for HVAC systems
- dashcam.bike – bicycle-mounted stabilizing camera technology
- FlowCellutions – enables the maturity of flow batteries through diagnostics solutions
- Informuta – infectious disease detection enables precision medicine via analytics
- Lexi Medical – deep-brain stimulation improves speech in post-stroke patients
- Musicals for Change – produces musicals for nonprofits to raise awareness
- Orchestra AI – AI-powered extension of a company's digital marketing team
- Pacto Medical – pre-filled syringes reduce shipping costs and environmental impact
- PadIAD – incontinence pads notify hospital staff when patient help is needed
- PharmaFlex – incorporates daily doses of drugs into a patient-friendly format
- Qarar – creates CFO-ready business cases quickly, closing more deals faster
- Revitalize Energy – energizing eye drop designed to alleviate eye fatigue
- ScOAPe – flexible endoscope sheath to enable lens-cleaning during surgery
- Studie – technology offering learning through a virtual professor interface
- Tooli – tooling/equipment rental application using a community platform model
- Velo AI – improving road safety through proactive bicyclist alert system
The semifinalists receive six months of access to business-planning software and must submit an executive summary, short business plan and five-minute video pitch for the second stage. Upon submitting these materials, semifinalist teams each receive $1,000 for participating.
Up to five finalist teams will be selected to advance to the third stage of the competition, which offers $41,000 in cash as well as service prizes. First place is $20,000.
Finalists will have access to the resources of DNVC’s sponsors as they advance their businesses and prepare for final presentations. Winners will be announced at an awards reception in April.
